MISSION CONTROL CENTER STATUS REPORT #3
STS-88
Friday, December 4, 1998, 9:30 a.m. CST
Endeavour's six astronauts wrapped up their first day in space a
bit later than planned, at approximately 8:21 a.m. Central time today,
when they began an abbreviated sleep period. Crew members were
trouble-shooting a minor problem with the Orbiter Communications
Adapter (OCA) system, which is used to transmit software files between
the Space Shuttle and the flight controllers on the ground. A wake-up
call from Mission Control is planned for 3:36 p.m. Central time, for
the crew to begin their first full day of on-orbit activities.
Following a smooth launch earlier today, Commander Bob Cabana,
Pilot Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialists Nancy Currie, Jerry Ross,
Jim Newman and Sergei Krikalev began preparing the orbiter for 12 days
of operations to begin construction of the International Space
Station. Endeavour is carrying the first American-built component of
the station -- a connecting module named Unity -- in its cargo bay.
Just half an hour after lift-off, the shuttle's payload bay doors
were opened. A few minutes later, the crew was given the go-ahead to
begin orbit operations - preparing the vehicle for space flight
activities. The Shuttle's KU-band antenna, which provides high
data-rate and television transmissions, was successfully deployed.
Crewmembers also activated the Hitchhiker payload, which includes the
Mightysat and SAC-A satellites that will be deployed late in the
mission.
The first of six engine firings to refining Endeavour's orbit and
close the distance from the Zarya control module, launched from the
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Nov. 20, also was completed early
this morning. Final rendezvous maneuvers to bring Zarya (the Russian
word for "sunrise") in close proximity with Endeavour is planned to
take place on Sunday afternoon. Endeavour currently trails Zarya by
approximatley 1,300 miles and is closing on Zarya at a rate of 675
miles per orbit.
All systems aboard Zarya, which will provide the initial control
and command capabilities for the space station, continue to function
well with the minor exception of one of six battery charging
systems. Endeavour is carrying replacement parts for the system in the
event they are needed.
After they wake up to begin Flight Day 2, Endeavour's crew will
conduct a check out of the shuttle's robot arm that will be used to
remove the Unity module from the payload bay and connect one of
Unity's Preassurized Mating Adapters (PMA) to the orbiter's docking
mechanism. The robot arm will also be used to grapple Zarya and dock
it to the PMA located at the other end of the Unity connection module.
Other Flight Day 2 activities will include a check-out of the
spacesuits that will be used in three spacewalks planned for the
mission, as well as checks of the SAFER unit. SAFER or Simplified Aid
for EVA Resuce, is a mini-maneuvering unit that can provide
self-rescue capability for a spacesuited crew member who inadvertently
separates from a spacecraft during a spacewalk.
All systems aboard Endeavour continue to perform well with the
Shuttle currently flying in a 200 by 118 mile orbit, circling the
Earth every 90 minutes.
The next STS-88 status report will be issued at approximately 8 p.m.